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Courtney Force, Allen Johnson off to quick starts at Pomona

November 7, 2012

NHRA rookie Courtney Force was the top qualifier in the Funny Car class on Thursday in Pomona. Photo by NHRA/National Dragster

Rookie Courtney Force took the first step toward her third No. 1 qualifying position of the season with the fastest Funny Car run in the Full Throttle Countdown to the Championship at the Automobile Club of Southern California NHRA Finals at Pomona, Calif., on Thursday.

Allen Johnson, who just needs to qualify in the top-16 to clinch the Pro Stock class, was the qualifying leader in that class. The opening session for the Top Fuel cars was washed out by persistent afternoon rain showers. Qualifying will continue with one round scheduled on Friday afternoon and two rounds on Saturday, but today's rained-out Top Fuel session will not be made up.

Force, at 24 the youngest of perennial Funny Car champion John Force's four daughters, posted a category-best run of 4.032 seconds at 315.93 mph in her Traxxas Ford Mustang.

“This was kind of surreal, coming out here and remembering what it was like [at her first race] in February, when I was so sick to my stomach,” Force said. “I've got a great car and a great team. Running a 4.03 the first lap out is amazing. I'm hoping it hold up for No. 1. That would be pretty awesome.”

Jack Beckman and Ron Capps ended Funny Car qualifying in spectacular fashion. Beckman, 46, who leads Capps by four points in the sixth and final round of the Countdown playoffs, had his qualifying run ended when the fiberglass body on his Valvoline Dodge Charger blew off in a massive engine explosion. Beckman qualified fifth with a 4.117 at 273.00, but Capps, 47, lost traction in his the NAPA Auto Parts Dodge Charger, and was the first non-qualifier.

“I've never had that happen before and I'm not going to sign up for it again,” said Beckman, who was unhurt in the incident. “I had just let go of the wheel to reach for the parachute and all of a sudden there was no body on the car.”

The beneficiary of the leaders' problems was Force teammate Mike Neff, who came into the weekend in third place, 88 points behind Beckman. He was No. 2, with a 4.062 at 313.66 in the Castrol GTX Ford Mustang, and cut his deficit to 86.

All three Funny Car contenders are seeking their first championship.

Johnson, who will clinch his first Pro Stock title by qualifying for Sunday's elimination rounds, made those final three sessions anticlimactic by putting his Team Mopar/J&J Racing Dodge Avenger atop the field with a performance of 6.565 at 210.47.

“That was a pretty good run right there,” Johnson said. “If the weather conditions (cool and overcast with possible rain showers) hold like they're supposed to we should be right there, in the top three or four anyhow. My mindset was that we were going to get one run and then it was going to rain for three days so I wanted to be sure to get it down the track. The guy on the mic with me [crew member Mike Gott] said 'I believe we can say champion now.'”

NHRA Pomona

POMONA, Calif. -- Thursday's results after the first of four rounds of qualifying for the 48th annual Automobile Club of Southern California NHRA Finals at Auto Club Raceway at Pomona, final of 23 events in the NHRA Full Throttle Drag Racing Series. Qualifying will continue Friday for Sunday's final eliminations.